A new species of the genus Smithophis (Squamata: Serpentes: Natricidae) from southwestern China and northeastern Myanmar.

A new species of natricid snake, Smithophis linearis sp. nov., is described on the basis of a single recently collected specimen from Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, and three historical specimens from Yunnan and from northeastern Myanmar. The new species is assigned to the genus Smithophis on the basis of its single internasal and single prefrontal shields, and on the basis of the results of phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequence data. The new species differs from its congeners in having the following combination of characters: temporal shields present, six or more circumorbital scales, and a distinctive colour pattern comprising regular, narrow, longitudinal dark and pale lines. Morphological and cytochrome b data are consistent with the recognition of Smithophis as distinct from the genus Opisthotropis. A revised key to the identification of the species of Smithophis is provided.

A new pit viper of the genus Trimeresurus (Lacépède, 1804) (Squamata: Viperidae) from Southwest China.

The white-lipped tree viper, Trimeresurus albolabris Gray, is one of the most common species of the genus Trimeresurus with a wide distribution from India eastwards to China and southwards to Indonesia. However, this species was previously split into five geographical clades with significant genetic divergence. Recent surveys in Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China resulted in the discovery of one cryptic species of the subgenus Trimeresurus. Combining molecular, morphological and ecological data, we describe it as a new species Trimeresurus caudornatus sp. nov. The new species differs from other Trimeresurus species by a combination of the following characteristics: (1) Head and body generally dark green, postocular stripes absent in both genders, upper labials light green; (2) ventrolateral stripe faint green yellow, present on the first row of DSR in both genders; (3) iris golden yellow in both genders; (4) dorsal tail mostly dark red, lateral and ventral green; an orange red stripe along the ventral part of the tail; (5) DSR 21/22 -21-15, VEN 161-163, SC 52-72; (6) first upper labial partially fused to the nasal. The new species was shown to be a strongly supported monophyletic group (BPP 100%) and sister to T. septentrionalis. The uncorrected pairwise distances of mitochondrial gene Cytb between the new species and other species of the subgenus Trimeresurus, ranging from 0.059 (T. septentrionalis) to 0.134 (T. kanburiensis).

A new species of the genus Dendrelaphis (Squamata: Colubridae) from Yunnan Province, China, with discussion of the occurrence of D. cyanochloris (Wall, 1921) in China.

A new species of the genus Dendrelaphis is described from Xishuangbanna, southern Yunnan, China, based on molecular and morphological data. The new species can be differentiated from other congeners by the following combination of characters: 1) ground color of body bronze, a black postocular stripe extending onto the neck only; 2) pale and dark ventrolateral stripe absent; 3) relatively indistinct transverse bands on the anterior part of lateral body; 4) loreal single; 5) vertebral scales strongly enlarged; 6) dorsal scale rows 15-15-11, all smooth; 7) ventrals 193-197, subcaudals 130-135, paired; 8) SVL/TOL ratio 0.292-0.301; 9) supralabials 9, 4th through 6th touching the eye; 10) the outermost row of dorsal scales the same color as other dorsal scales; 11) retracted hemipenis extending to the 6-7th subcaudal scales. According to molecular and morphological data, D. ngansonensis likely belongs to the D. cyanochloris complex. We further discussed D. cyanochloris complex from Tibet, Yunnan and Hainan, China. A key to Chinese species of Dendrelaphis is provided.